John of Thoresby facts for kids

John of Thoresby (who died on November 6, 1373) was an important English church leader and government official. He served as a bishop in two different places, St. David's and Worcester, before becoming the Archbishop of York. He also held a very powerful job as the Lord Chancellor of England for King Edward III starting in 1349.

Early Life and Career

John of Thoresby was likely born in Lincolnshire, England. Some people thought his father was Hugh of Thoresby, a local lord from Yorkshire.

John worked for the King in the Court of Rome for a while. In 1341, he became the Master of the Rolls. This was an important legal job, and he held it until 1346. In 1345, he also became the Lord Privy Seal, which meant he was in charge of the King's private seal. He kept this role until 1347.

Becoming a Bishop

Pope Clement VI chose John to be the Bishop of St. David's on May 23, 1347. He officially became a bishop on September 23, 1347. In the same year, Thoresby traveled with the King to Calais, bringing many people with him.

In 1349, John became the Lord Chancellor of England. This was one of the highest government positions. In the same year, he moved from being the Bishop of St. David's to become the Bishop of Worcester on September 4, 1349.

Archbishop of York

John was chosen to be the Archbishop of York by everyone in the church, and both King Edward III and Pope Clement VI approved. The Pope officially appointed him on August 16, 1352.

In 1355, John had more important roles. He was a Warden of the Cinque Ports, which protected important coastal towns. He also served as a regent, meaning he helped rule the kingdom when King Edward III was away. He stopped being Lord Chancellor in 1356. After that, he focused on taking care of the church in northern England.

Improving the Church

The church in York was facing some challenges during this time. Many top jobs in York Minster were held by Roman Cardinals. These cardinals did not live in York, which meant there was less order and discipline in the church.

John worked hard to fix these problems. He created a simple guide, like a catechism, to explain what people needed to know for their faith. This guide included important beliefs, the Ten Commandments, the Seven Sacraments, and other key teachings.

The guide was written in Latin for the clergy (church leaders) and also in simple English poetry. John of Tavistock, a monk from St. Mary's Abbey, York, translated it into English. Both versions were released in November 1373 from Cawood Palace.

Settling Disputes

During John's time as archbishop, a big disagreement between the church leaders of York and Canterbury was finally settled. They agreed that each archbishop could carry their special cross in the other's area.

However, as a sign of agreement, the Archbishop of York had to send a knight or a lawyer to St. Thomas of Canterbury's shrine. They would offer a gold image worth £40. This had to be done within two months of an archbishop being chosen.

At this time, Pope Innocent VI also made a new rule. He said that the Archbishop of Canterbury was the "primate of All England," and the Archbishop of York was the "Primate of England." This meant Canterbury had a slightly higher rank.

Building and Legacy

Archbishop John oversaw a lot of building work at York Minster. He was buried in the Lady Chapel, which was a new part of the church that he had helped build.

During his time as archbishop, Walter Skirlaugh and William of Wykeham worked with him. Skirlaugh later became a bishop, and Wykeham was a church official in York. Both of these men became famous builders, and they might have learned a lot from the construction projects at York Minster under Archbishop Thoresby.

John of Thoresby passed away at Cawood, Yorkshire, on November 6, 1373.